E-mail
PrintCOLUMBIA - Yevgeny Yevtushenko, a world-renowned Russian poet, will perform a poem he wrote for MU's School of Journalism's Centennial celebration during the closing ceremony at Mizzou Arena Friday.
Stuart Loory, the Lee Hills chair in Free Press Studies at MU and editor of "Global Journalist," came up with the idea of bringing Yevtushenko in for the celebration.
WHAT: Yevgeny Yevtushenko's performance of "The Lead Honorarium" during the closing ceremony of MU's School of Journalism's Centennial celebration
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday; Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Mizzou Arena, One Champions Drive, Suite 200
COST: Free and open to the public
- A look back at the Columbia Missourian newsroom through the years.
- VIDEO: The Missourian celebrates its 100th anniversary with a look back at some of its famous alumni and an eye forward on how we're training journalists today. (Please note: This video is about 9:35 in length and will take a little while to load).
"He is probably one of the half-dozen best-known poets in the world that is still living," Loory said. "He is a great, great performer and also very outspoken."
Yevtushenko, 75, is best known for a poem he wrote in 1961 titled "Babi Yar." Though the poem was internationally praised, many found it highly controversial.
"The poem exposed how the Holocaust came to the Soviet Union and suggested that the Nazis murdered Jews in Kiev with the help of the Ukrainian people," Loory said. "He received a lot of criticism, but he endured."
Yevtushenko was a powerful voice in the Soviet Union following Stalin's reign. He expressed his views on the problems in Soviet society through his poetry and made several contributions to the film industry.
Yevtushenko has performed his poetry all over the world including traveling throughout Russia for his 75th birthday.
Suzette Heiman, director of planning and communications for the School of Journalism, worked with Loory to bring Yevtushenko to MU.
"His poetry is very much about democracy and fits right in with the centennial celebration," Heiman said. "Other people have said when he speaks, he is very moving."
The commissioned poem is titled "The Lead Honorarium" and is dedicated to five courageous Russian journalists. Yevtushenko will perform it in both Russian and English.
Yevtushenko is a poet in residence at the University of Tulsa where he teaches poetry and European cinema for half the year. He spends the rest of his time in Moscow.
He will perform his poem following the premiere of "Telling the Story, Fair and True" presented with a "Pictures of the Year International" showcase.
Show Me the Errors 
Comments